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Word, Jennings lead NMCC to rout of Charleston
NEW MADRID, Mo. — Fueled by a combined 45 points from Meeya Word and Da'Lisa Jennings, New Madrid County Central cruised to a 73-30 victory over Charleston in the Riverbend Classic at New Madrid County Central on Saturday, Nov. 30.
The Lady Eagles (1-0) showcased their potential in a commanding season opener win over the Lady Blue Jays (0-2), led by Word, a senior, and Jennings, a freshman, who scored 24 and 21 points, respectively.
“I like seeing my freshmen step up and play hard when they get on the court,” said NMCC coach Dana Woods. “We played well as a team, working together and we played pretty strong on defense. We still have some things to work on moving forward in the season, but I was very happy with the positive energy and the effort from everyone.”
This victory marks NMCC's eighth consecutive win against Charleston, a rivalry that had been dormant since 2020.
Despite the Lady Blue Jays’ early 9-4 lead after the first quarter, the Lady Eagles’ relentless offense and defense turned the tide. NMCC outscored Charleston 22-5 in the second quarter, with Jennings and Word contributing significantly to the surge.
The Lady Eagles are determined to rebuild their program after a challenging previous season, which ended prematurely due to dwindling numbers.
NMCC takes on Poplar Bluff (0-1) in the SEMO Conference Tournament at Notre Dame High School, while Charleston hosts East Prairie (0-0) on Monday, Dec. 2.
NMCC 73, CHARLESTON 30
| Charleston | 9 | 5 | 13 | 3 | — | 30 |
| NMCC | 4 | 22 | 24 | 6 | — | 73 |
Charleston (30) — Holly Hayes 14, Treasure Kimble 7, Da’Kira King 7, Gabby White 1, Akeelah Wilson 1. FG: 8. FT: 13-41. F: 16. (3-pointers: Kimble 1. Fouled out: None.)
NMCC (73) — Meeya Word 24, Ja’Lisa Jennings 21, Krystin Gorden 9, Orangie Jackson 4, Skylah Pratcher 4, Jordan Maltbia 4, Rozzlyn Brooks 3, Jordenn Bevly 2. FG: 34. FT: 4-12. F: 24. (3-pointers: Ja’Lisa Jennings 1, Meeya Word 1. Fouled out: None.)